Gas dispensing system



Sept. 4, 1945. T. A. ST CLAIR GAS DISPENSING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 6, 1942 INVENTOR T. A. ST C LAI onpnzj Sept. 4, 19 45. T. A. ST CLAIR 2,384,266

GAS DISPENSING-SYSTEM Filed April 6, 1942 2 Shets-Sheet 2 F/G. Z

INVENTOR T. A. ST CLAIR both the user and the distributor of the equipment.

4. To simultaneously attain the utmost in economy. reliability and safety in an-automatic gas system by accomplishing in one single diaphragm the several functions which have heretofore entailed the use of many diaphragms and supplementary assemblies.

Other more specific objects and advantages are illustrated in the remainder of this specification.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 illustrates my invention as it relates to the complete gas system installation. Fl re 2 is a frontal view of my device, in section. gure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing details of the selector lever. and Figure 4 is an enlarged detail in section of one of the indicators.

Inl'igure l, a bracket I is applied to the outside wall of the user's residence and provides a support for portable gas cylinders 2. My changeover regulator, indicated generally by the humeral 3, is permanently attached to the bracket. Gas is withdrawn from the cylinders through connectors 4 and flexible hoses 5, which communicate with thefchangeover through inlets 6. The gas, after pressure induction in the regulator 3, is delivered tofia service line I for transportation to the point of utilization.

'In Figure 2, details of my improved equipment are illustrated. A diaphragm 8 issecurely gripped between the upper and lower port ons, 3 and i0. respectively, which together make up the body of my device. The upper portion contains the two inlets 3 and an outlet Ii. This outlet maybe located at any convenient place above the diaphragm in the member 9.

In communication with each inlet is a nozzle i2 and a resilient valve seat disc l3, the latter being incorporated in a pivoted rocker l4. Extending from each of the rocker arms is a rigid rocker extension pin ii. A yoke-piece l6 has knife-edged openings I! which are adapted to receive the free ends of the pins it. The lower side of the yokepiece is pivotally attached to the valve member I. at a point I! which. is common to the vertical assassc might otherwise occur because of unequal distribution of diaphragm slack, for example, and would result in disturbance of the regulator or relief valve. A seal cap 33 threadsinto the boss 28 to a depth which is limited by the shoulder 3i around the periphery of the cap.

By means of a hand lever 32, a spring 33 is tensionedso as to misalign the yoke l6 and thus withdrawal from either side of the gas system may be made preferential. Referring to Figure 3, the hand lever is soldered, keyed or otherwise made secure to a shaft 34, which in turn is fittedwith a. lever or crank-piece 35. The hand lever, shaft and crank piece are all rigidly secured one to another so that the member 35 will always bear a fixed angular relationship with respect to member 32, as shown in Figure 2. The spring 33 is engaged in an eyelet 38 at the outer extremity axes of both elements. As will be demonstrated later, the member i8 moves in unison with the diaphragm 8 under all normal operating pressures, and-therefore, it is seen that both of the 2i, and the lower-end of which bears against the adjustable collar- 24 which is threaded on the extended valve stem 23. In this fashion, the diaphragm, the diaphragm aperture, and the valve member It are organized to serve as a low pressure relief valve.

A co l spring 28 is located concentrically about the relief valve structure, bearing at one end upon the. diaphragm plate 2i, and at the other upon an adjusting ring or collar 21. The collar 21 is I threaded into the boss 23 and includes an extended tubular portion or skirt 2|. This skirt serves to limit the degree of misalignment of the members 24, 2|, etc., with respect to the axes of the whole changeover assembly. Misalignment of member 35 and similarly is attached to the yoke IS. A collar 31 is formed on the shaft 34, its under side being held against the packing material 38 by virtue of loading imposed on its upper side from a compression spring 39 and a threaded retainer bushing 40. A circular skirt ll is formed on the hand lever so as to protect the shaft and bushing from dirt, rain, snow. etc.

Referring again to Figure 2, it is seen that each of the inlets 5 are in communication with a nozzle l2 and also with an indicator 42 by virtue of the channels 51 and 38. Figure 4 illustrates the details of the indicator elements, in which the upper end of channel 51 is seen to'terminate in a bored recess 43 formed in the upper portion 9 of the regulator body. Upward from the recess is a counterboard portion Whose Junction with the bore 43 forms a ledge 44 upon which a resilient diaphragm 45 is supported. An inserted member 48 is pressed into place against the upper peripheral edge of the diaphragm. holding same tightly in place and effectively sealing the chamber under the diaphragm against leakage to the atmosphere. The member 46 could of course be threaded into place, if desired.

Fitted movablxwithin the interior of the inserted member 46 is a plunger 41, having a relatively broad base 48 in contact with diaphragm 45, an annular fiange portion 49 and a reduced section 50 at the top. As may be readily seen in the drawings, these parts are so organized that the plunger 41 is free to move upward in response to a pressure below the diaphragm, against the loading of a compression spring ii. A transparent window 52 is secured to the top of the insert member 48 by a flanging or spinning operation performed on the metal, forming a retaining flange 53. The window is preferably made from a plastic material having some resilience so that a seal will be formed by the fianging operation without danger of breaking the window. Glass could be used if proper resilient gaskets were provided to separate the glass from the .metal surfaces. The length of the reduced sec tion 30, in any event, should be such that its top surface will not contact the window when the plunger is raised to the limiting position fixed by contact at 34. The spring 51 is so proportioned that the plunger 4'! will assume the elevated position shown in'Figure 4 whenever the tank pressure (communicated to the underside of diaphragm 43) .exceeds a nominal value, such as 3 or 4 pounds per square inch, for example.

In operation, the device is connected to two tanks of liquefied petroleum gas and to a service line, as in Figure i. If the control lever 32 is positioned as in the drawings, the yoke It (see the right-hand valve.

seen that the resultant clockwise rotation of the ass-taco 3 Figure 2) will be misaligned so that withdrawal from the righthand side of the system will be favored. The pressure reduction will of course be subject to the control of the diaphragm 8 and the spring 26, the action of the latter being somewhat modified by that of the small bias spring 33.

If it is assumed that the position oi the righthand rocker arm in Figure 2 is the wide open or full capacity position, it may easily be seen that any increase of pressure above the diaphragm 8 will result in a proportional closing of the righthand inlet valve, thus providing the desired pressure regulation. The left-hand valve will be unafiected, since it is already in the'tight-closed position. It is thus apparent that the tip of the 15 left-hand rocker arm pin l5 remains stationary and is, therefore, the eii'ective pivotal center of rotation of the yoke piece l8 during closure 01 At the same time, it is yoke piece during closure of the right-hand valve will cause an increased tension in the bias spring 38.

A Conversely, upon subsequent reduction of pressure above the diaphragm 8 for any reason, the

diaphragm will rise due to the reduced load onposing the main regulator spring 26. The bias spring 33 now tends to recover its former contracted position and hence the yoke piece It now rotates counter-clockwise about the point (a point of contact respectively between pin I5 and the upper or lower knife edge in the opening ll). Thus opening of the right-hand valve is accomplished in response to the change of outlet pressure and the left-hand valve remains closedv From the foregoing, it is evident that with; drawal oi-gas will continue at all times from the favored or "Supply" side of the system so long as the demand load does notexceed the capacity of the Supply inlet orifice or nozzle ii. If the capacity of this side is overtaxed, the remainin or Reserve side will be opened sufficiently to help carry the excessive demand load.

Upon exhaustion of the first used (in this case right-hand) cylinder, the withdrawal of gas proceeds without interruption from the "Reserve side. The regulator will now supply gas to the service line at a slightly lower pressure than before, due to the further-extended working length of the spring 26;

When one of the tanks becomes empty, the respective indicator 42 will signify the occurrence by virtue of the lowering of the plunger 41 upon failure of pressure under the diaphragm 45, so

that the section so will no longer be readily visible 55 through the window 52. As shown in Figure 2, the indicator at the right signifies exhaustion of supply in the right-hand inlet.

By occasional inspection of the indicators, the

customer will be advised of the state of the cylinders and will replace the exhausted one at the first opportunity, reversing the position of the handle 32 at the time the replacement is made so that the withdrawal of gas will not revert to. the newly attached cylinder until the erstwhile Reserve cylinder is depleted.

Should the pressure within the regulator body exceed a predetermined safe limit, as where the regulator valve does hot seat properly, the diaphragm will be displaced downward to a point where the rocker arms ll can move no further,

with the result that further pressuring 01 the diaphragm will unseat it from the valve disc at the li 22, thu permitting escape or the camsible for initial setting or readjustment by removal of the cap 30.

The simplicity of operation, construction and maintenance of my improved changeover regulator is self-evident from the above description. The single diaphragm 8 serves all the major functions utilizing a pressure responsive member.

The valves at the two inlets serve the dual purpose of pressure regulation and selective control of withdrawal. The structure of my device is adaptableto many variations and the scope of my invention is defined and limited only to the extent set forth in the following claims.

I claim: I

1. A valve of the type disclosed comprising a housing closed by a diaphragm to form a pressure chamber, spring means acting on the diaphragm to oppose the pressure in said chamber, a pair of fluid supp y nozzles having ports opening into said chamber, a pair of valves for controlling the escape of fluid into said chamber through said ports, a member pivotally connected to said diaphragm and to said valves respectively for moving them to and from said nozzles, and an operator including a spring connection to said member for biasing it to either side of the center 35 of its pivotal connection to the diaphragm,

40 is controlled by said diaphragm.

2. In the combination of claim 1, means connected to said member for venting said pressure chamber through said diaphragm when the pressure exceeds a predetermined value. 3. A combined pressure regulating and switching valve comprising a housing closed by a diaphragm to form a'pressure chamber, a single spring acting centrally on the diaphragm to oppose the pressure in said chamber, a pair or fluid supply connections to said chamber, valves for respeetively controlling said connections, means interconnecting said valves with each other and said diaphragm for operating them, and means for biasing said last means to preset the valves so that one is closed and the other is controlled by said diaphragm to regulate the pressure in the chamber, said last two means coacting when the valve controlled by the diaphragm is fully opened to place the other valve under the control of said diaphragm.

4. A'valve of the type described comprising a housing closed by a diaphragm to form a pressure chamber; spring means acting on the diaphragm to oppose the pressure in the chamber,

a pair of .fiuid supply valves for controlling thesupp y oi pressure fluid into said chamber, means interconnecting said valves with each other and said diaphragmtn eii'ect pressure regulating operation of the valves,'and manual means for presetting the valves so that one is closed and the other is opened, said interconnecting means caus- 'ing the other valve to open when the first valve isjully open. Y

THEODORE A. ST. 

